Posh covers China Vogue and at Wimbledon

What’s the Anna Wintour policy on Vogue international covers? How long must the gap be between a Vogue cover in China and the cover of US Vogue? Victoria Beckham covers the August issue of China Vogue. The US Vogue September cover already belongs to Jennifer Lawrence. That leaves 3 months if Posh is to make her life’s dream. It seems unlikely if there is a required gap, and there should be. Have we passed another year without Posh realising her big goal?

Oh but what does it matter? The big money is in China and not America. Chinese consumers are the ones who’ll spend and spend and spend and spend on her clothes and bags and sunglasses. As I wrote in my last post about China and the Beckhams – click here for a refresher -- China is the life support for the luxury goods industry. My people cannot get enough of their name brands: Chanel, Prada, Gucci…Beckham?

That’s the idea. Which is why Mrs Beckham is working so hard to court the Chinese market, telling China Vogue that:

“I love China. The women really understand fashion and I can honestly say the women who come to my events are some of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. They have remarkable bodies and are happy and positive and I love that. I think they know what looks good, how to accessorise and have beautiful hair and flawless skin.”

China has been experiencing a really interesting cultural adjustment over the last decade or so. We are an old, old civilisation with deeply rooted philosophies – Confucius, etc – and many within China are worried that our ancient customs and traditions are being abandoned in favour of hysterical materialism and out-of-control consumerism as the Communist government continues to relax its policies … but, really, only for the privileged. Is that ironic?

So now there’s an entire generation of young Chinese less devoted to filial piety than it is obsessed with fashion and beauty. One of my favourite, favourite Chinese television moments in recent years happened on one of their many matchmaker programs. I was watching with my ma, the Chinese Squawking Chicken, who was providing translation as I don’t understand Mandarin. This actually enhances my experience. Because, well, she has her own way of interpreting their participant comments. Anyway, the women who show up on these programmes are very, very honest about their intentions: money, not love. And they all look the same now because the plastic surgery over there is epidemic. So this one girl, considered a mega catch by their standards, gets up and declares something to the effect of (remember, this is my ma translating):

“It would be better to be in a BMW, catching my own tears, than to have to sit behind a man on his shabby bicycle, and smile.”

Please. We here in North America are getting the shaft by the Bachelor. THIS, from China, is the reality television you should be watching.

My point is that Victoria Beckham is the exact role model women like Miss BMW > Bicycle are looking for. And why not? Her profundity is inspiring:

“I have been in the limelight for over 20 years. I am not on an ego trip, empowering women and making them feel sexy and great when they wear my clothes means more than thousands of people clapping. Empowering women is what makes me feel good.”

You get that? Victoria Beckham is empowering women.

Here’s a question about empowering women. Posh says she feels guilty about working:

“When you are successful the hardest thing is maintaining that level of success, so you work harder to maintain what you have achieved. It's a huge juggling act, when you are a working mother and looking after your family, millions and millions of women around the world are doing this every day. But it's not easy and yes, you feel guilty every time you walk out of the door to go to work!'

I’m with her right up to the point when she brings up the guilt. Because, well, you don’t hear men talking about how they feel guilty about having a job when they’re fathers. So is giving in to the feeling of guilt almost like acknowledging that mothers actually HAVE something to feel guilty about? Am I a stupid c-nt who should shut up because I have no kids? Fine. Let’s talk about her clothes instead.

Victoria wore Louis Vuitton to Wimbledon yesterday to watch the men’s final. Andy Murray’s girlfriend wore Victoria Beckham. Strategic move? Let the client wear her designs instead? You know, Posh has worked so hard the last few years to kill the chav that swathed her for so many years. She downsized her chest. She stopped wearing daisy dukes. She goes easier on the hair extensions now. But in spite of all that, it’s like, even when she doesn’t have a French manicure, I still imagine her with one, you know?